OMEGA: FIRST MISSION
by Bronwyn Celtia
Summary: OMEGA/ GI Joe. This is OMEGA's first "solo" mission. Joe cameos. Explains things for stories than come later in chronological order. Rated Mature for language, innuendoes, some situations. I don't own GI Joe yadayadayada
1. Chapter 1

5

1.

"Lady Hawk, the General is on his way in."

The announcement on the intercom system pulled KT 'Lady Hawk' Abernathy from her daydreams. Which was just as well, since she was supposed to be working on a cost analysis report, and not fantasizing about a certain sailor. OMEG was finally up and running, settled in at Tirnagog. They'd been in the field a few times, as back-up or extra hands for other specialized groups. They'd yet to be given as assignment of their own, and were getting the reputation of being either glorified nursemaids or Joe Colton's 'Eye Candy'; neither was true, and both were a bit depressing. It had group moral at a low, and one member rather vocal in her complaints and desires for re-assignment. Lady Hawk would gladly go along with the reassignment, but she wasn't allowed to…yet.

"I'll meet him topside. Have everyone report to the conference room," Lady Hawk got to her feet, glad for the reprieve from paperwork, and curious as to the reason.

"Will do," Gabrielle 'Wires' Nova promised.

'The General' _always_ referred to three-star General Joseph Colton in Tirnagog. OMEGA's mentors might all be Joes, but Colton was their CO, and they answered to him. In fact, the only other person who could assign OMEGA to any duty was Colonel 'Hawk' Abernathy, the head of the Joe team…who also answered to Colton first.

Lady Hawk was waiting near one of the helipads, standing by a jeep, when the Tomahawk landed. As the rotors slowed, she could see three people preparing to leave the helicopter: Colton; Wild Bill, one of the Joe pilots; and a man in a business suit and dark glasses, whom she didn't recognize.

"General Colton, gentlemen," she saluted sharply as they joined her. "Welcome to Tirnagog."

"I hope you've got coffee on, Lady Hawk. It's a stretch from the Pit to here," Colton returned the salute.

"With Wires and Firecracker around, coffee is a constant, sir," she replied wryly, getting back behind the steering wheel of the jeep. "I suggest we get inside, before those rainclouds start dumping on us again."

"This is a military base?" the stranger was frowning, looking around. There was one other Tomahawk on the tarmac, one rather small plane hanger, and a single tower showing. "For the amount of money spent on this place…"

"If you will get in the jeep, sir?" Lady Hawk requested. "Tirnagog is mostly underground."

"Why?"

"A plethora of reasons, sir. A wide variety of weather, for one," she stated. "It also makes this facility extremely hard to target." Colton was already sitting next to her, and Wild Bill was getting in behind her. "Coming?"

"Where's Baby?" Wild Bill asked, as Lady Hawk headed the jeep for what appeared to be a garage near the tower.

"In the silo," Lady Hawk told him. "Blackbird's been working on some of his systems."

"Blackbird is the only pilot I know of who refers to her aircraft as a male," Wild Bill chuckled.

"No, she's not. So do I, and so does Diva," Lady Hawk shook her head. "Especially when they aren't being too cooperative!"

The rest of the team was waiting in the conference room when Lady Hawk led the three men in. They all came to attention and saluted Colton.

"Ladies," Colton returned the salute. "Please, be seated. Lady Hawk," he handed her a computer disk, which she inserted into a desktop unit attached to a large wall screen. "You all know Wild Bill. And this is Roger Moorland… Senator Nesbitt's new aide." Someone hissed, but Colton chose to ignore it. He was aware of the fact the only one it probably had not been was Pistol.

"Coffee, General?" Martha 'Firecracker' Benjamin already had a large mug of the dark, aromatic liquid poured and ready for him, and one for Wild Bill. "Here ya go, Bill."

"Thanks Firecracker," Wild Bill saluted her with the mug.

"Mr. Moorland?"

"This is a military special ops unit?" Moorland demanded, ignoring Firecracker's question. "Two teenagers, and eight young women, only one of whom is actually old enough to have any real experience?"

"As Nesbitt's aide, you should be aware of the inaccuracy of your own statement, Mr. Moorland," Lady Hawk managed not to snap, but her eyes flashed angrily. "Every woman on this team is of legal age. And the only one _not_ to have served at least nine months overseas is Pistol."

"Stand down, Lady Hawk," Colton ordered quietly. "Mr. Moorland, you are here to see and report, nothing more. In short, keep your mouth shut. On to business. How much do you ladies know of a group called 'One World Order'?"

"They aren't as big as some other terrorist groups, nor is their leader as completely off the deep end," Kass 'Diva' Scott said promptly. "Ethan Greynor was a member of some now-defunct paramilitary group in the 1960s and early 70s. His organization encourages boarder disputes, hoping to destabilize world governments to the point they'd be easily swayed to his view of a single world government… run, of course, by One World Order, to their dictated specifications. So far, they haven't hit any civilian targets; nor have they attempted any scheme that would adversely affect world trade as of yet."

"Glad you do your homework, Diva. I really wasn't aware of that much about them, until yesterday," Colton took the remote from Lady Hawk, and brought a picture up onto the screen. "This is Theodore Westing…"

"The diplomat?" Jo 'Spanner' Thierry asked. "The one who managed to solve that dispute in Sudan without a shot fired two years ago?"

"The same as," Colton nodded. "He, his wife, and their three children were on vacation in Italy, when they vanished. One World Order is claiming responsibility, but so far, have issued no demands."

"There might not be any," Diva said thoughtfully. "Westing has put out more than one of Greynor's fires in the last few years. It would suit him more if Westing never showed his face again."

"Then why take his wife and kids? Why not just assassinate Westing?" Jillian 'Pistol' Moore asked.

"Westing was working on some highly classified treaties when the family disappeared," Colton informed them. "If Greynor can convince him to change how those treaties read…"

"The entire area in question goes up in flames, and One World Order can waltz in and take over in an apparently democratic style," Lady Hawk frowned. "Which would give him a base to expand outward from."

"Exactly."

"So what have we got to do with this, General?" Maria 'GPS' DeCarlo asked.

"We have an idea the Westings are being held somewhere in Canada, of all places. OMEGA is being sent in to get them," Colton replied. "That is your direct assignment. If you manage to make a dent in Greynor's organization in the process, I can't say I'd be sorry to see it. As we get further intel, I will see it is passed to you…"

"Bet I know where they are," Diva flipped up a panel on the table in front of her. Very shortly, the picture of Westing was replaced with an aerial map. "Cobra has Extensive Enterprises; One World Order has International Holding Company. They bought this valley a year," the area was highlighted. "And had construction done these past few months. Satellite pictures show what could be a training ground, but it's not really big enough for more than about a squad." She brought up the grainy picture of a walled compound. There was a small airstrip just outside the walls, and a tower and three other buildings within them. There were no roads leading into the area.

"Good place to start," Lady Hawk decided. Colton could see the wheels turning, but Lady Hawk said nothing further. He was fairly sure he knew why. She trusted him, she trusted Wild Bill. She didn't know Moorland, and considering his ties to Nesbitt, she wasn't about to trust him, civilian or not, with any plan OMEGA might come up with.

"Pistol, I've promised Mr. Moorland a tour of non-critical areas of Tirnagog," Colton said. "If you would be so kind…"


	2. Chapter 2

10

02.

Once Colton had Moorland out of the conference room, the women moved to the control room.

"I'm going to see if there are any updated aerial shots of that valley," Lady Hawk stated. "Blackbird, make sure both the helicopters and both of the skystrikers are gassed and ready to go. Angel, you'd have a better idea of what you'll need than I would. Diva, I want _everything_ you can find on Greynor."

By the time the men had rejoined them, OMEGA had their plan roughed out, but no hints showing.

"We'll see you in a few days to flesh out a plan, sir," Lady Hawk told Colton. "I'll come to the Pit."

"Fine," he nodded. "I will talk to you later, then." The men left.

"It isn't going to take us days to get the flight clearance from the Canadians, Lady Hawk," Blackbird looked at her quizzically. "It's already in the pipe…"

"The General knows it, too. Moorland is Nesbitt's lapdog. He doesn't need to know what we're doing or when we're doing it," Lady Hawk pointed out.

The team headed out, timing their arrival with sunset at their destination. Pistol and Diva flew sky strikers in high cover for Blackbird and Lady Hawk in Baby and the Tomahawk. The rest of the team was divided between the two helicopters.

"Pistol, Diva; either of you picking up on anything potentially problematic?" Lady Hawk inquired as they neared their destination.

"Does a flock of geese count?" Diva joked. "Other than that, nada."

"Absolutely nothing," Pistol agreed. "Kinda boring, actually."

"We have young children to deal with. I'll take boring," Lady Hawk stated. "Keep your eyes open, and don't forget to keep a check on your fuel levels. Blackbird, there's the valley we want. Let's take'em down. The sooner we get into that compound, the sooner we can get out of it, and get back in US air space."

"Yes please! I need to get back before Friday, don't forget!" Diva announced.

"That have anything to do with your request for a week-end pass, Diva?"

"Sure does. I have two tickets, hotel reservations, and a date for the Beach Boy concert in DC this weekend," Diva confirmed.

"A date, hu?" GPS teased. "Anyone we know?"

"Might be!"

"It is," Firecracker rolled her eyes. "She got Footloose to agree to go, as long as she finagled his pass out of whoever had to sign it. Not a problem for our Diva!"

"Says you!" Diva snorted. "I had to talk _Flint_ into signing the pass! I would have rather dealt with Hawk, or the General, or Duke…"

"Flint isn't as intimidating as Hawk!"

"Says the woman who called him 'Uncle Hawk', and referred to the General as 'Dad'," Spanner laughed.

"Alright ladies, time to can the chatter," Lady Hawk cautioned. "We've got a job to do. Let's not tell them we're coming."

"Lady Hawk, be advised…radar picking up what appears to be a Cobra Rattler taking off from that airstrip attached to the compound," Diva reported, all business now, her voice cool and controlled.

"Easy strike, Lady Hawk," Pistol sounded eager.

"Both of you get up in the clouds, _now_," Lady Hawk ordered. "Do not be seen, and do not engage."

"But…"

"That is an order, Pistol!" Lady Hawk snapped. "We do not want to announce our presence. Make note which way that plane heads, and if it's actually flying under Cobra's colors. It's entirely possible MARS is just selling to OWO. We are here to get the Westings, not take a bite of Cobra, which is way too big for us not to choke on. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Lady Hawk. Perfectly," Pistol's tone was tight.

The helicopters set down in the valley just south of the one containing the compound, just as the sun was sinking in the west. It would take roughly half an hour to hike in.

"Keep your eyes and ears open, Blackbird," Lady Hawk instructed. "Princess, you and McArthur stay with the Tomahawk. Both of you be ready to grab air on a dime. Radio silence, unless it's an emergency. That goes for all of us. GPS, take the point. Let's move it, Girl Scouts."

"Picking up Beach Head's bad habits, Lady Hawk?" Firecracker demanded. "Geesh!"

Forty minutes later, they were actually looking at the compound. A single BO 105 helicopter sat on the end of the landing strip. The compound walls rose about twenty feet, and were topped by three strands of barbed wire and a single strand of alarm wire. The tower stood in one corner, closest to the airstrip and the only gate into the compound. Also on that side stood what looked to be a barracks of sorts. A small concrete building without windows was in the corner furthest from the gate, and the only other building, also made of concrete with a tin roof sat against the eastern wall.

"That's the munitions bunker," Firecracker pointed at the smallest building.

"And that one, based on the fact it has the only guard, is our objective," Lady Hawk indicated the tin roof.

"One man in the tower, one guard on the tin roof building, two on exterior patrol," Spanner noted, making good use of binoculars. "Looks like three more near the gate, and at least two in the barracks… the kitchen has a bare window."

"Decent odds, but I'd still like to do this as quietly as possible," Lady Hawk said. "That patrol isn't moving very fast. We wait to be sure they are the only team."

Apparently, they were. As soon as they cleared the eastern wall a second time, OMEGA snuck in closer. Lady Hawk used a specialized pistol to shoot a small grappling hook over the wall, and shimmied up quickly, making sure she kept her silhouette as small as possible by not standing. Wires was the first to join her.

"Keep an eye on that tower, will ya?" Wires requested, as Spanner joined them. "Let me get the door open, without setting up any alarms. Spanner, give me a hand." She had a long coil that sort of looked like jumper cables. Wires and Spanner each took one clamp, moved several feet away from each other, and prepared to attach the clamps to the trip wire. "One…two….three!"

All three of the women froze as the clamps made contact, but there was no siren, no indication of any alarm being raised. Wires nodded tersely, then cut the wire in between the terminals. Still no alarm.

"Pick up the speed, will you?" Lady Hawk demanded. "We are sitting ducks up here, Wires!"

Spanner helped cut the regular barbed wire, and was actually the first down into the compound as Lady Hawk motioned Firecracker, Angel and GPS to follow.

Lady Hawk waited until they were all between the back of the building, between it and the wall, then tapped the wall and looked at Firecracker. The younger woman shook her head. The concrete was reinforced. Blowing it would alert the compound's owners to company, and would endanger the Westing family, since the women had no idea exactly where they were inside the small building, or what else was in their with them.

Spanner pointed at herself, and indicated she'd go around the building and handle the guard. Firecracker pointed to the munitions bunker, and held up one of her new tags: a small block of C4 with a remote-detonation fuse. Lady Hawk nodded. If they had to leave faster than planned, the more confusion for the opposition, the better. Lady Hawk tapped GPS on the shoulder and sent her with Firecracker. Her team ran in smaller teams whenever possible. She did not want anyone caught out alone. Lady Hawk herself covered Spanner from the corner of the building as Spanner took out the guard on the door.

A few moments later, it looked as if the guard had fallen asleep and slid into a seated position, head on his arms on his knees. If anyone got too close, the alarm would be raised for sure: the man was dead, his position held by wires around his limbs.

The interior of the windowless building was mostly barren. There was one light bulb hanging from the ceiling. A toilet and sink stood in one corner, and a single bunk in another. On the bunk sat the Westing family.

"Who are you?" Theodore Westing struggled to his feet, putting himself between his family and the newcomers.

"Your ride home, Mr. Westing," Lady Hawk informed him. Angel was already moving forward.

"Sit," the medic ordered. "What did you do to your ankle?"

"Snapped it, when they first grabbed us," Westing said, easing back onto the cot. "I can't walk more than a few steps at a time…"

"Then I'm just going to have to carry you," Spanner shrugged. She had at least five inches on the man, who was also on the skinny side. "You can't be that heavy."

"Four women? They sent in four women?" Veronica Westing stared, clutching her young daughter to her tightly. "That's it?"

"The rest of my team is doing their job, Mrs. Westing," Lady Hawk stated calmly. "Angel?"

"Broken," Angel nodded, strapping Westing's ankle. "Spanner will have to carry him, if we can't have Blackbird pick them up here."

"Not sure that's an option…"

"It isn't."


	3. Chapter 3

10

3.

"I don't know who you ladies are," a man stood in the door, pistol drawn and aimed at Lady Hawk. "I do understand this is no social call."

"Ethan Greynor," Lady Hawk made sure she was between him and the children. "Even uglier, and stupider than we were led to believe."

"Ah, the US government sent GI … Joan? To fetch their diplomat," Greynor guessed.

"You don't rate a Joe team, Greynor," Spanner shook her head. "You are strictly third or fourth rate, as terrorists go."

"And yet, I have Westing, his family, and now you."

"That's what you think," Wires said lightly.

"I see one wounded man, three small children, and five women, four of whom are playing at being soldiers," Greynor said contemptuously. "I have men throughout this compound…"

"Lady Hawk, heads up," Diva's voice sounded in Lady Hawk's ear piece. "You need to get out of there _now_. There are several non-friendly type fighters headed for that strip, coming from the north-west. Mixed bag; Cobra Rattlers, one Mi-24, a pair of migs…"

"I get the idea, Diva. Will they spot the copters?"

"Doubtful. Wrong side of the ridge."

"Thank the powers that be for small favors. Stay out of sight unless we need you," Lady Hawk replied. "Greynor, we are leaving."

"I do not choose to allow that. As I said, I have men. I also have this," he waved the pistol slightly.

"And now you don't," Spanner spun, bringing one leg in a high arc that not only kicked the gun from his hand, but connected to his nose. Blood splattered everywhere. Angel grabbed the gun, and Spanner used zip ties to secure Greynor's hands behind his back.

"Time to leave," Lady Hawk headed for the door. She saw the planes coming in; she saw no one in the compound, not even the dead soldier they'd left by the door. "Firecracker and GPS, your presence is requested ASAP."

"Coming!" Firecracker replied. "Can I blow the munitions bunker?"

"I think that might be a damn good idea. We also need a door in this wall. Climbing it again isn't an option."

"You got it, boss lady!"

The first explosion was the munitions bunker. It brought men running, and had at least two of the incoming aircraft aborting their landing. Lady Hawk pushed Greynor out of the door ahead of her, keeping him between his men and her women, who were clustered around the Westings.

"To your left, Lady Hawk!" GPS announced over the radio, just as a second, much smaller explosion sounded off. A hole appeared in the wall, not far from where they'd used the ropes to enter.

"Blackbird and Princess, get those birds up, and meet us on the top of the ridge!" Lady Hawk ordered.

Greynor, despite having trouble just breathing, shouted at his men, bringing their attention to the escape. Lady Hawk and Wires opened fire, giving Angel and Spanner time to get the Westings out of the wall. Firecracker lobbed something into the group of men, and the ground exploded. There was another explosion as the first plane set down.

"Good idea. I don't want to know how you managed," Lady Hawk stated. "Take this scum. The General gets a present from this trip."

"I am so gonna have to fumigate this uniform before I wear it again," Firecracker commented, dragging Greynor towards the hole in the wall. "This way, Brother Ugly!"

The gunfire got heavier, and now included aerial strikes, pinning Lady Hawk, Wires, and GPS behind building material, but too far from the gap to safely try for it.

"Diva, Pistol, we need some help down here!" Lady Hawk announced.

"Coming!" Diva broke through the clouds, guns already targeted on the mig making a pass over the compound.

"Pistol! Where the hell are you?"

"Watching the ridge," Pistol replied.

"Forget the damn ridge! No one is paying attention to us!" Blackbird informed her. "Get down there and back up Diva!"

"You don't get to give me orders, Blackbird!"

"I do!" Lady Hawk snapped. "Get your ass down here, flygirl, and do your damn job! Diva, watch out for the tower!" She'd seen the glint of metal poking out of one window. The rocket fired even as she spoke, hitting Diva's sky striker. "Bail, Diva! Bail!" But no chute showed, and the fighter jet plowed into the compound wall near the tower, just as the tower itself blew.

She felt more than saw GPS go down next to her, as Wires whipped around to face a threat coming from one side, behind the building they'd left.

"Pistol, where the hell are you?" Lady Hawk demanded. "We need some help here! We're pinned…"

"Incoming!" It wasn't Pistol, it was Princess in the Tomahawk, and she was only getting close enough to spray the attacking jets with fire.

"Princess, out! The Tomahawk is no match for those damn fighters!" Lady Hawk knew she, Wires and GPS were in serious trouble, if GPS wasn't already dead, like Diva. She didn't want to lose any more of her team. She'd let Colton down enough as it was. Where the hell was Pistol? The Sky Striker could have come in above the odd assortment OWO had, and taken out a couple, if Pistol was as good as she was continually claiming to be. "Pistol, you better be in serious shit with the enemy, or I am going to strip those wings of yours myself! I got one down, and ammo's low." Then she saw parachutes to the south. "Goddamnsonofabitchfuckinghell!"

"Lady Hawk, what kind of language is that?" a new voice asked calmly, from the hole in the wall. She could just see Duke, setting up cover fire from the far side of the opening. Someone else was on the near side, but she could only see the barrel of the rifle.

"It's the same language Cover Girl uses every day in the garage when Clutch pisses her off," Lady Hawk replied. "The chutes…"

"The calvary has arrived. Blackbird relayed the news about OWO using rattlers, and we wanted to see for ourselves, since some of us were on our way back from Alaska. You three planning to join us?"

"Come on, GPS," Lady Hawk pulled her friend up. The petite woman's face was badly burnt from laser fire that had caught her across from the side, especially right around the eyes. "Ready?"

"Just don't let me fall," GPS requested shakily.

"You're so tiny, McArthur could carry you and not drop you," Lady Hawk tried to sound upbeat. She jammed a new clip into her pistol, then slipped her right arm around the smaller woman's waist. "Hold tight, girlfriend. Wires, follow us."

"Right behind you, Lady Hawk. Aren't I always?" Wires also slammed in a new clip, leaving the empty on the ground.

Lady Hawk and GPS had cleared the wall, and were headed for the tree line when someone started shooting from the top of the wall. She felt the bite of lead in her shoulder, and almost stumbled. There was an angry shout ahead of her, and she saw Gung Ho shooting over her head.

"Someone is finding out not to piss off a Joe who is also a jarhead," she told GPS.

"You're bleeding!" GPS couldn't miss the feel of the blood seeping through Lady Hawk's shirt.

"I've been told I do that on occasion. Less chatter, more move it! Wires?"

"Right behind…"

Wires never finished what she was about to say. A sniper shot from the corner of the wall dropped her in her tracks. The sniper went down under a small firestorm from two directions.

Lady Hawk had not seen her fall. She and GPS reached the trees, where Firecracker and Spanner were waiting, their eyes wide and disbelieving as they stared back. Lady Hawk turned, saw Gung Ho lifting Wires from the ground, and almost let go of GPS. The sound that came out of OMEGA's team leader was a cross between a moan and a snarl.


	4. Chapter 4

14

4.

"Move out!" Duke ordered, coming along behind Gung Ho with Alpine. "Head for the ridge!" Lady Hawk didn't spare the time to acknowledge or think about it. She had to get GPS to safety. She ignored the pain in her shoulder, and the blood loss, and focused on two things: getting GPS out of the danger zone, and what she was going to do to Pistol for disregarding direct orders. The pilot never had joined the cover fire overhead.

She didn't notice when Duke stopped, or when other Joes joined the group heading for the ridge. She never let go of GPS, and she knew Gung Ho had Wires slung over his shoulder. She knew the Westings were bundled onto Baby, with Angel and Lifeline, while she headed to her own copter. Doc was waiting there with Princess.

"Lady Hawk, you're hit…" Firecracker finally noticed.

"Not as bad as GPS. I can wait," Lady Hawk stated. "Princess, get us out of here."

"What the hell happened, Duke?" Wild Bill surveyed the ruined compound. They'd accounted for a lot more combatants than intel had claimed to be there; mostly hidden in the barracks and the trees to the north and west of the walls.

"Greynor had more back-up than anyone knew," Duke sighed, watching as a parachute-wrapped body was carried reverently to Wild Bill's copter. Footloose had refused to let anyone but Dusty and Scarlett help him wrap Diva's body; he wouldn't allow anyone else to carry her. "Which leads me to believe someone told him OMEGA was coming, just not when. Those three copters were all carrying supplies in, and a few of their jets weren't fully loaded for a firefight. Have you seen or heard Pistol?"

"Ace ordered her back to the Pit, when he caught her trying to engage in a dog fight with a rattler instead of following the orders we all heard Lady Hawk give her to supply cover fire," Wild Bill said grimly. "He's probably the only one who could have given an order she'd listen to. You do know, Duke….if Pistol had been down here, helping Diva, this would have been over sooner, cleaner, and we probably wouldn't have lost Diva…"

"We also lost Wires, and yes, I do hold Pistol accountable," Duke said tiredly. "If she'd been where she was supposed to be, she'd have seen that bunch coming out of the barracks and heading for the wall. Hell, we saw them, and we weren't that close…unfortunately."

"There's going to be hell to pay over this."

"The only question is: who's going to be the Devil's bill collector?"

Lady Hawk let Doc at her shoulder only because she didn't have any choice. She did refuse any drugs, or to allow him to start an IV on her. She needed her wits, she needed to be awake when they touched down. She had something to take care of. Colton wasn't going to like it. Hawk would probably like it even less.

When they set down at the Pit, there were quite a few people waiting: Colton, Hawk, Flint, a medical team, Ace…and Pistol, standing slightly to one side. Before the rotors on the tomahawk had even come to a complete stop, Lady Hawk was out, stalking across the ground. Firecracker, looking worried, was right behind her.

"You arrogant, useless…" Lady Hawk took one swing at Pistol, connecting with the taller woman's jaw and sending her stumbling backwards. "I don't care if you survive the court marshal or not, you are OUT! You can't be trusted to do your damn job, and because of that, two good people are dead, and GPS is in bad shape. You're a sorry excuse of a human being, Jillian Moore, and the worst possible example of an Air Force officer anyone could come up with!"

"Easy now," Shipwreck was suddenly behind Lady Hawk, his hands closing over her wrists to pin her arms crossed in front of her. "Down girl!"

"Let go of me, Shipwreck! I want to wipe the tarmac with her face!"

"Shipwreck, get her to the infirmary," Doc ordered. "Law, take Lt Moore to the brig."

"_She_ attacked me, and I'm the one being arrested?" Pistol demanded.

"You are the one who disobeyed direct orders from your team leader," Ace pointed out, disgust in his face and voice.

"I out-rank her!"

"And I out-rank Duke, Flint, and Beach Head. They are still over me in the chain of command in this unit, and you aren't going to catch me disregarding their orders, especially in battle, without one hell of a reason," Ace's voice was like ice. "Being a glory hound isn't even a _good_ reason. Are you going to go with Law quietly, or do I have to frog-march your sorry, grounded ass inside for him?"

"Grounded?"

"You heard me, Lieutenant. Grounded," Ace nodded. "Lady Hawk has already kicked you off of OMEGA. That means, while you are still attached to General Colton's unit for the time being, you revert to answering to your Air Force superiors… namely, me. I suggest you keep your mouth shut, and avoid racking up more charges for that court marshal."

"Firecracker, I want you and what's left of OMEGA in my office for debriefing," Colton stated. "Now."

"Yes sir," Firecracker saluted, mostly out of habit. She was dirty, and tired, and heart-broken, and worried about GPS and Lady Hawk, although she knew the two of them were in excellent care. But things had to be done yet, and for good reason. "We did get you a…collector's edition, General." She indicated Greynor, standing to one side under Princess and McArthur's guard. "Ya know, sir… now I'm seeing him in the light of day, he kinda looks a lot like someone else I met recently…"

"Save it for the debrief," Colton ordered. She nodded, and turned to collect Blackbird and Spanner. Angel had already gone with the med team. "MUTT!"

"Yes sir!" Mutt hurried over, Junkyard at his heels.

"Take Mr. Greynor here to the brig," Colton ordered. "A small cell, if we have one."

"Yes sir," Mutt saluted, then gripped Greynor's arm. "Right this way, slimeball."

Lady Hawk passed out before Shipwreck got her to the infirmary. He readjusted how he was carrying her, to make it easier on him and safer for her.

"She is a stubborn lady," Doc sighed, pointing to a gurney when he saw the two enter. "I expected her to black out well before we got here, from the loss of blood alone."

"I get the feeling that wasn't an option in her mind," Shipwreck set her down carefully on her uninjured side, so that he could maneuver her onto her stomach. "I thought she was going to do some serious damage to Pis…"

"To Lt. Moore, and yes, I do believe she meant to," Doc nodded. "You do understand why Lady Hawk refused to call the woman by her code name?"

"Hell yeah! She lost the right to that code name," Shipwreck stepped back so Doc could remove the bandages on Lady Hawk's shoulder. "I just never knew what her real name was. Didn't much care, either. That female is colder than a fish at the bottom of the sea. Hell, Deep Six is a better conversationalist!"

"I'll agree with that," Doc snorted. "Go on, get out of here, and let me deal with Lady Hawk. I'll let someone know when she can have visitors."

"She's going to take losing Wires and Diva pretty hard, Doc," Shipwreck warned. "Especially Wires."

"I know," Doc sighed. "I know."


	5. Chapter 5

19

5.

"Ladies, what the hell happened out there?" Colton demanded, looking at Blackbird, Firecracker, Spanner, and Princess.

"Greynor had more people than Intel reported, sir," Blackbird stated. "And they were hidden, like he expected company. No more than a dozen showed on infra-red…"

"Lead-lined tarps in the trees, and a lined bunker under the barracks," Gung Ho had one of the tarps with him.

"So noted, Gung Ho. Continue, BlackBird."

"I wasn't in the compound, General," Blackbird shook her head. "Princess and I had the tomahawk and Baby in the next valley down. I heard Diva tell Lady Hawk there were fighters incoming. A real mixed bag. Lady Hawk ordered her and Lt Moore into the clouds, to stay out of sight…"

"Diva gave us plenty of warning. We should have been able to get out of the compound and at least into the trees before those fighters reached distance," Spanner picked up the report. "Even with me carrying Westing…he's got a broken ankle…and Lady Hawk towing Greynor along. But when we came out of the building… there were men everywhere. And when Firecracker blew their munitions bunker to draw attention away from us, even more came pouring out of the barracks…like ants coming out of a kicked anthill. Firecracker blew a hole in the wall, and we started out…but Lady Hawk, GPS and Wires got pinned down inside. Firecracker and I were ready to go back. Angel could have gotten the Westings to safety, especially if there was enough cover fire. Diva did her best. There was a gunner in the tower, and she got too close. When…" she had to pause. "Single shot, heavy artillery, pretty much cut her bird in half. She didn't have time to eject, and wouldn't have had space to use the chute, even if she had."

"And Wires?" This question came from Hawk.

"Some of Greynor's men had gotten up on the walls," Firecracker replied. "Spanner and I saw Lady Hawk stumble. Gung Ho got that one. Then there was a shot from the corner of the wall, and Wires…went down…Gung Ho brought her in…"

"Nobody left behind, chère," Gung Ho put a hand on her shoulder. "And that bastard went down, too."

"Lady Hawk didn't see it happen?" Hawk asked.

"No sir. She was carrying GPS to safety," Spanner told him. "But she knows. We were all in the tomahawk."

"And while Diva was providing cover fire, where was Pistol?" Colton asked.

"Lt. Moore disregarded orders to provide cover fire twice, sir. The first time, she claimed she had to keep an eye on the ridge where we had the copters waiting," Blackbird said flatly. "The second time, I have no idea what she was doing, as she simply didn't reply."

"The second time, she was trying to tease a rattler into a dog fight," Ace said flatly. "Instead of taking it, and any other fighter she could get into her sites, and thereby protecting her team, she chose to pull a glory-seeking, self-serving stunt better pilots than her would know for a waste of valuable time."

"I notice when referring to a certain pilot, I appear to be the only one using her code name," Colton frowned.

"She lost the right to any code name when she disobeyed direct orders and left her team in deadly conditions, sir," Blackbird's voice was icy. "With the possible exceptions of 'Coward', 'Traitor' or 'Bitch'." Colton just inclined his head slightly.

"Do we have medical reports yet?"

"No, sir," Hawk shook his head. "I am afraid that may take a while. The only simple injury is Westing's ankle. I am going directly to the infirmary from here."

"Go, then. Let me know as soon as you can," Colton sighed.

The rest of OMEGA wanted to go with him, but Hawk sent them off to the women's hall to get cleaned up and rest.

Shipwreck, with Polly on his shoulder, Lady Jaye and Flint, and Freestyle were already there, sitting on the hard bench or leaning against the wall.

"Any news?" Hawk asked quietly.

"They recovered Diva's body. Wild Bill will bring her in," Flint said. "Doc's taking the bullet out of Lady Hawk's shoulder now."

"GPS?"

"Too soon to tell, but he thinks the damage to her eyes is severe and permanent. He is going to send her to Walter Reed as soon as he's sure she's stable enough for the flight."

"Did you get to talk to either one of them?"

"GPS is too drugged out. Your cousin is still on the war path," Flint said wryly. "Went it finally goes to court, I suggest we make sure Lady Hawk cannot get anywhere near Lt. Moore."

"What happened now?" Hawk sighed.

"When I tried to talk to her, she informed me I am not in her chain of command, and she doesn't have to answer any question I might have," Flint replied. "Which, honestly, is true, but I really didn't expect from her."

"I'll handle her debriefing, or Colton will. Arrange for a plane to be on stand-by for GPS," Hawk said. Flint nodded. "And what are the rest of you doing here?"

"She waited for us a few times," Shipwreck shrugged. "And we really don't want either one of them waking up alone. Dial Tone is with GPS now. Doc said only one at a time."

A few moments later, Doc stepped out into the hallway.

"Clean shot, she'll be fine in a few weeks," he reported, directing his comments at Hawk. "She is still out, but if you want to go sit with her for a while…I don't think it will be long. The rest of you jokers can leave now. _One_ of you can replace Dial Tone in an hour. But if GPS decides she doesn't want company…"

"How long before one of us can spell Hawk?" Shipwreck asked.

"You can't. Lady Hawk already said she doesn't want visitors, although she accepts the fact she can't avoid Hawk or Colton," Doc replied.

"But Doc…" Jaye began.

"For now, it is her call, Jaye," Doc stated. "Other than Psych Out, but I am leaving him until tomorrow. She's been through hell in the last twelve hours. Give her a chance to catch her breath."

Hawk went into the room Doc indicated, and pulled a chair closer to the bed. Someone had gotten her cleaned up, and in a plain blue hospital gown. He'd ask Wires… no, he couldn't ask Wires. He'd ask Blackbird or Firecracker to bring one of her own nightgowns over. KT had always hated hospitals, and claimed hospital gowns were not only fashion outrages, but the bane of anyone who got cold easy. Not that she did: He could remember seeing the child she'd been running around outside in a Colorado winter with no coat, laughing and pelting people with snowballs. He half-expected her to fall for Frostbite or Snow Job.

"Clay?" her voice was low and dull. "How is Maria?"

"Doc is transferring her to Walter Reed. He can't help her here," Hawk said honestly.

"Great. I lost half my frickin' team on our first assignment. That has to be some sort of nightmare record," Lady Hawk sighed.

"Half?"

"Kass is dead. Gabrielle is dead. Maria may very well be blind," Lady Hawk pointed out. "And if I ever see Jillian Moore again…" now her voice held anger. "She's been trouble from the start, Hawk. You know it. Colton knows it. Hell, Nesbitt probably knew she would be! And if I come face to face for him!"

"You can dream up all sorts of nightmares for both of them. You can't act on any of them," he informed her. "Neither of them are worth your career."

"My career? My career isn't worth what happened to my team!"

"KT…"

"I just want to sleep, Clay. Can the debrief wait a few hours?" She closed her eyes, turning away from him slightly.

"Some of the Joes are in the hall. They don't want you to be alone in here," he tried to reach her.

"I don't want visitors. You and the General, I have to talk to. I know damn well Doc plans to sic Psych Out on me. Can't avoid that, either," she didn't look at him, didn't open her eyes at all. "No one else. Not even my team. Blackbird is the next in the chain. Let her deal with things for now."


	6. Chapter 6

24

6

"Hawk," Firecracker hailed him as he was leaving the infirmary.

"Thought you were told to get some rack time," Hawk waited for her to catch up, then started towards the offices once again.

"I forgot something during debriefing, and so did you," she said. "Remember when I told you Greynor reminded me of someone else?"

"Believe me, General Colton and I also noticed his resemblance to Moorland, Firecracker. Lady Jaye is already digging. If anyone can find a connection, it's Jaye."

"Diva could have. Lady Hawk could," Firecracker said sadly. "Did she really tell Doc she doesn't want to see _any_ of us?"

"She just ran me, too," he nodded. "She has a lot on her mind."

"It wasn't her fault!"

"I know, Firecracker. But she is the squad leader, and takes her responsibility very seriously. She needs to find a way through this. Being stubborn, she's going to try to do it on her own," he sighed. "Been there, done that…until General Colton, Duke, Flint, and a few of the others kicked me in the seat of my pants. Speaking of, how are you and the others dealing?"

"In my case, it probably helps that I wasn't wounded at all, and I am nowhere near the top of the chain," Firecracker replied. "I'll get through it. I'll miss Wires and Diva like crazy, but I'll get through it. Angel, Spanner, Blackbird, Princess and me, we're talking it out between us. Psych told us we'd better, or he'd haul us all into his office, one at a time and collectively. He ambushed us leaving the infirmary earlier."

"He's good at that," Hawk smirked a little.

"He didn't catch you," she accused.

"Not yet, no. I've had more practice dodging him. Go get some rest, Firecracker," he patted her shoulder. "You look almost ready to fall over."

"I'm going. I want to see if there's any coffee left in the mess hall…"

"Coffee." A large mug was held in front of her, and Firecracker and Hawk both stopped in their tracks. They hadn't seen Bazooka approaching.

"Thanks Bazooka," Firecracker accepted the mug with a small smile. "I am no good without coffee."

"Walk ya," the anti-tank man offered.

"Oh, thank you. At least I won't fall asleep on the stairs and break my leg, or something," Firecracker linked her free arm through Bazooka's.

"I'll see you both later," Hawk sent them off. As they walked away, he felt himself smile a little. Both were enlisted, both on different teams with totally different chains of command. If those two ended up dating, no one could quote regs in his face because they were jealous.

Lady Jaye was in his office when he got there.

"Wild Bill and Duke are back," she informed him. "They brought Diva in. Footloose canceled his weekend leave already, and went to talk to Psych Out."

"He's one of the few who would, willingly," Hawk sighed. "Do me a favor. Find Spirit, and tell him to report here at…" he glanced at his watch, "fourteen hundred hours."

"Sure thing, Hawk. He's probably either in the lounge or the mess hall," she nodded.

"Any luck on the connection between Moorland and Greynor yet?"

"Not yet, but Scarlett's going to help this afternoon. We'll find it," Jaye promised. "And Lady Hawk will be alright. You've been hurt worse…"

"Physically, yes. She just learned the hardest lesson any leader has to," Hawk's voice was sad. "What it's like to see a friend, a team member, die."

Lady Hawk could hear the whispering, but she kept her eyes shut, and her breath even. She didn't want to deal with anyone; not Doc, not her team, not her CO, not her cousin…not even a certain comic sailor. They'd given her something to deal with the pain in her shoulder. Nothing was going to help the pain in her heart, except maybe time.

It had been hard enough watching Diva's sky stryker go up in flames, knowing the gal with the Liz Taylor eyes wasn't going to make it out. No Beach Boy concert, no exploring a possible relationship with one of the most laid back Joes imaginable, no more saxophone in the Tirnagog jam sessions. Losing Wires on the same mission was like a knife in her heart. They'd met at lunch, the very first day of Basic. Gabrielle had become the sister KT never had: confidant, best friend, partner in crime…KT knew by the time Doc released her from the infirmary, Hawk or the General would have already informed the families. Arrangements would have been made already. She vowed she wasn't going to miss either funeral. Wires and Diva had been _hers_; her team, her sisters, her responsibility.

Half a squad, gone in less than one day. It had to be some nightmarish record.

When Doc and Psych Out entered her room the following morning, she was sitting up, her left arm in a sling, the cold remains of her breakfast pushed to one side.

"You didn't eat much, Lady Hawk," Doc noted.

"You've got me on morphine, Doc. Morphine and food don't mix well in my stomach," she shrugged a little. Her face was pale, there were dark smudges under her eyes, she wasn't making eye contact with either of them, and Psych couldn't remember ever hearing her voice so soft and tired. "How soon do I get out of here? I have two funerals to attend, and a court marshal."

"You are here for at least four days," Doc informed her. "That is a bullet hole in your shoulder, not a wrenched joint from PT."

"Aside from your shoulder, how are you feeling, Lady Hawk?" Psych asked.

"Boy, you don't waste time, do you?" she frowned slightly. "I just lost two damn fine soldiers, my _sisters_, and a third is facing a medical discharge and having to learn a whole new way of dealing with life. All of which happened on our first solo assignment. I've fucked up as a squad leader. I've let people down. How do you think I feel?"

"You know it isn't about what I think," he shook his head. Doc left them alone as Psych sat down by the bed.

"Actually, it is. You have to decide if I'm fit for duty or not, mentally speaking," she pointed out. "I'll save you the trouble. I'm not. I am resigning my position with OMEGA, Dr. Rich, and requesting a transfer to one of those typing pools the General threatened me and Gabrielle with, when we first brought the idea of OMEGA to him."

"Good people do die, Lady Hawk…"

"But I won't be the one responsible. I won't be able to screw up anyone else's life," she said flatly. "And it isn't Lady Hawk. Abernathy, Kathryn T., sergeant, US Army…"

"You know the rules of the Pit," he frowned.

"I also know what I am required to say during interrogations of any sort."

"Is that what you think this is?"

"Any session with a head shrink that isn't completely voluntary is an interrogation."

After that, she turned her head away, and refused to say another word to him, Doc, or the nurses.

Of course, she couldn't use that tactic when Colton came to see her.

"Tell me what happened, Lady Hawk."

"We got there, saw pretty much what we expected: a few men, a rough compound," she reported, her voice neutral. "Got in, found the Westings, got caught by none other than Greynor himself. Diva told us there was company coming, and we had to leave ASAP. Greynor wasn't happy with that idea. He threatened to shoot one of the children. Spanner kicked the gun out of his hand, and caught his nose with the same kick. I believe she broke his nose. Firecracker hadn't come in the building. She was sneaking around setting her little tags. She blew the munitions bunker first, to provide a distraction. She also put a hole in the wall for us… scaling it with three little children, an injured man and a woman barely clinging to her sanity wasn't an option. When we left the building…we kicked a hornet's nest, General. There was at least a full platoon of men there. Wires, GPS and I got pinned down on the inside of the wall. I called in Diva and Lt Moore for cover fire. Diva came. Hell, Princess came down off the ridge with the tomahawk! Lt. Moore disregarded my orders. Diva caught an anti-tank missile. Even if she'd been able to eject, which is doubtful, considering how she took the hit, she wouldn't have had room to use the chute. A group of Greynor's men snuck in between the building and the wall, and surprised us from the side. GPS caught a blast across hr face, right at eye line. Then there were parachutes coming in, and cover fire from the hole in the wall….Duke and Gung Ho. I was practically carrying GPS, since she couldn't see at all. Wires was right behind me when we got out of the wall. I don't think any of us realized Greynor's men had also gained the top of the wall. I knew I was hit. I had to keep moving. Wires… Wires took a sniper's bullet at the base of her skull. She never knew what hit her. She was dead before she hit the ground." She drew a deep breath. "I blew it, General. Our first time out solo, and I blew it. If it weren't for the Joes, none of us would have made it out. I destroyed my team, I failed the mission you sent us out there for, and I failed the trust you put in me."

"No, Lady Hawk you didn't," Colton's voice was firm, but not harsh. "You failed at nothing. Jillian Moore disobeyed direct orders from her team leader. Your calls were sound. It wasn't your leadership at fault."

"My team, my responsibility. I just don't want her to ever have the chance to put some other team in danger like she did mine yesterday, sir," she closed her eyes. "Will there be anything else, General? Doc's got me on morphine, and it does nasty things to my head and stomach."

"I'll leave you alone for now," he stood. "But I am not giving up on OMEGA, or you, that easily. You and Gabrielle brought me a good plan, detailed and researched and well-presented. We still need that team, and it is still your team, lady."


	7. Chapter 7

29

7.

Colton was worried about his OMEGA team, especially after talking to Lady Hawk. He knew Hawk was, as well. They'd been through hell in a very short time, and while most of them had been overseas, not all of them had ever been so close to a battle before. Lady Hawk had, which was why her current mental state bothered her CO as much as it did. He'd never found anything in her files to indicate she couldn't handle it.

When he left Lady Hawk's room, he went straight to see GPS, without checking with Doc first.

Breaker was sitting next to the bed, and Rock-n-Roll was leaning against the wall on the other side. GPS was sitting up, her hair pulled up high on her head so it didn't interfere with the bandages on her eyes. Both men stood at attention when Colton entered the room.

"Hello, General," GPS said easily, her voice a bit tired-sounding, but not angst-filled.

"How…"

"There's nothing wrong with my ears, sir. I heard Breaker and Rock," she explained. "Since Hawk was here about half an hour ago, it had to be you. You are the only two here that these two babysitters would come to attention for automatically."

"Obviously, there's nothing wrong with your thought process, either," Colton commented, feeling himself relax for the first time since reports started coming in from Greynor's compound.

"Gotta keep the gears clear, sir. My eyes are shot to hell, literally," she grimaced a bit. "So, the only way forward is to use my head, my logic, and my other senses. Hawk told me Lady Jaye is already looking into a possible family connection between Greynor and Moorland?"

"Yes, she is. The two of them look more alike than some sets of brothers I know," Colton said.

"She may want to focus more on Moorland, if she hasn't already figured that out for herself. Diva and I tried tracking down Greynor's past," GPS told him. "He's been involved…well, actually in charge… of One World Order for the last ten years. Before that, it's as if he didn't exist. You've got him here, you can run his fingerprints, which is something no one's apparently been able to do before now. What we found is in a file at Tirnagog. I'm sure Blackbird would bring it in for you."

"Did you share that information with Hawk?"

"Yes sir."

"Then I'd imagine he's already passed it on to Lady Jaye, and they will act on it accordingly. How are you feeling?"

"Physically, not too bad. Emotionally, well, that's another story. Wires and Diva…OMEGA, with the exception of Lt. Moore, has always been a tight crew. We did try with her, General Colton. She is so totally hung up on rank and regs, I don't think she'd really fit into any Special Ops group. She can't seem to think outside the box. And what she did yesterday was a clear dereliction of duty. She is fully aware of OMEGA's chain of command, and has always ignored it as much as possible. This time, with results that cannot be ignored."

"Agreed. I have a question for you, since you were right there with Lady Hawk… do you think your Field Leader made miscalls on this mission?"

"No sir! What happened to me, and even to Wires, happened because Lt Moore wasn't were she was told to be, doing what she was told to do," GPS said firmly. "And anyone who says otherwise needs to get their eyesight and their heads checked." She hesitated a minute. "Sir, Hawk said she has requested no visitors be allowed in to see her…"

"She did."

"It's got Hawk and a whole lot of others worried," Rock-n-Roll stated. "Not just humans, either. When Breaker and I came down, McArthur and Junkyard were both whining and pawing at her door. Polly keeps asking Shipwreck where Lady Hawk is…"

"She spoils that bird every chance she gets," Breaker grinned a little. "Of course, Polly behaves better for her than for Shipwreck…"

"You look pretty stable, young lady. Did Doc clear you for the flight to Walter Reed?" Colton asked.

"Yes sir. Wild Bill is taking me out tomorrow," GPS nodded. "I'm hoping to talk to Lady Hawk tonight."

"That may be a bit difficult…"

"It may. I still plan to do it," the woman shrugged. "I'm fairly sure I can find someone to walk me over to her room. Any number of someones." The looks on Breaker and Rock-n-Roll's faces affirmed that. Hell, Colton would take her in himself, if he had to, to bypass Doc's orders.

"Good luck with that, GPS. I may not get the chance to talk to you again before you leave," he took her hand. "You're a damn fine soldier, and I am proud of you."

"Wires was right, sir. You're a damn fine officer to serve under," GPS flashed him a smile. "Don't give up on OMEGA, or Lady Hawk, General…"

"I don't plan on doing so, Maria," he assured her. "Whatever happens, don't forget to stay in touch."

"I won't, sir."

His next stop was the mess hall. He wasn't really hungry, but he expected to find the rest of OMEGA there by now.

As usual, Firecracker was seated between Bazooka and Alpine. Blackbird was next to Heavy Duty, who had one arm around her, even as he ate his own meal. Princess sat with McArthur on one side, and Order on the other, and Law just beyond his own dog. Angel was talking quietly to Lifeline at one end of the table. Flint, Lady Jaye, Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Shipwreck, and Gung Ho were also at the same table. On Shipwreck's shoulder sat a very dejected looking Polly.

"Where is Spanner?" Colton stopped next to Blackbird, noticing the absence of the mechanic.

"Trying to get Hawk to eat something. He hasn't, since breakfast," the black pilot replied. "And we hear he didn't eat much then, either."

"I don't remember eating anything, either. Coffee. I know we both went through a lot of coffee," Colton said.

"When don't we, around here?" Flint asked.

"True enough. Flint, Blackbird, and Duke, I need the three of you in the conference room off my office at nineteen hundred," Colton informed them.

"General Colton, sir," Scarlett stopped him when he would have moved on. "Lady Jaye, Cover Girl, Freestyle and I want to volunteer for Honor Detail for the funerals of Diva and Wires."

"Those details will be decided on tomorrow morning, Scarlett, but I will keep you ladies in mind."

"Thank you, sir."

"I wonder what the meeting is about," Jaye mused, after Colton was gone.

"Two funerals and a court marshal, most likely," Flint sighed. "Two of the worst parts of being military."

Flint was proven correct when he and Duke escorted Blackbird into the conference room. Hawk, Psych Out, Doc, and Beach Head were also in attendance.

"Flint, I am putting you in charge of two Honor details, and Duke, you pull two sets of pall bearers. The families may not accept the pall bearers, but I will be making the offer," Colton announced. "I don't want the same people on the same detail at both funerals. I think it would be too much. Spirit and I are leaving early in the morning to go and see their families. General Sharpe will be here in my absence…"

"OMEGA will be attending both funerals as a unit, General," Blackbird said firmly. Her tone and expression were a bit at odds with the fact she was still in her twenties, and speaking to her CO. "Wires and Diva were _ours_."

"Understood and agreed, Blackbird," Colton nodded. "I still want six person Honor details for both, beyond OMEGA."

"I'll tell you right now, sir," Hawk looked up at his commanding officer and friend. "I doubt very much Lady Hawk will allow either you or me to present those flags. I expect her to see it as her job."

"Is she going to be up for it?"

"She will force herself to be up for it, General."

"She needs to do it, sir," Psych Out added. "Basically, the same way Hawk does, when we lose a Joe, or Beach does, when we lose a Green Shirt. It won't be easy…"

"It never is," Beach Head snorted.

"She won't stand alone, sir. I'll be right there with her," Hawk said.

"We _both_ will be, son," Colton told him. "We both will be. Doc, is everything ready to switch GPS to Walter Reed?"

"Yes sir," Doc nodded. "Wild Bill is doing the flying, and Lifeline and Angel are doing the escort."

"Good. I want updates on her as often as need be…at least once a week for now," Colton informed the doctor. Doc nodded. Colton turned to Psych Out. "Now the hard question. Do we need to have Lady Hawk on a suicide watch?"

"With all due respect, General…" Hawk's eyes flashed.

"KT wouldn't ever!" Blackbird blurted out angrily.

"I asked Psych," Colton said mildly.

"You'll notice we haven't made that call so far, General," Psych Out said calmly. "She is depressed, hurting physically and emotionally, and questioning herself and her leadership abilities, but no; she is not actively suicidal. That mind set just isn't part of her make up."

"I had to ask."

"I know, sir."


	8. Chapter 8

32

8.

It was late when the poker game in the hanger broke up. They'd moved it out of the lounge, hoping to ease a little bit of the sorrow hanging over the base. It hadn't really worked. The five men who'd been playing cards all night had all known and liked Wires and Diva. And Polly was still asking Shipwreck where Lady Hawk was.

As soon as Shipwreck followed Leatherneck, Wet Suit, Dusty and Gung Ho left the hanger, something set the parrot off. She squawked and flew off.

"Polly!" Shipwreck called after her. "Dang bird. Now I gotta go track her down, before one of those trigger-happy MPs think she's a spy or something."

"Just be sure they know you ain't, 'Wreck," Leatherneck warned. "Because Doc so doesn't need to be dealing with you in the infirmary with two pretty women in there already!"

"Not remotely funny, ya jarhead," Shipwreck scowled. He'd stopped in to see GPS, the same as most. She'd been glad for the company, or so she'd said. Lady Hawk had gone into shut-down mode, and Hawk had put a guard on her door after Lifeline caught Firecracker and Bazooka trying to sneak in against Lady Hawk's orders. "See ya in the morning, guys. I gotta bird to find."

Near the athletic field was a group of Joshua trees. Picnic tables had been placed there to take advantage of the scant shade they provided during the days. Shipwreck knew sometimes some of his teammates came out at night, for whatever reasons. Since Polly had headed in that general direction, that's where he headed.

There was a figure sitting at one of the tables, bundled in a towel or a blanket. Polly had landed on the table, and was slowly moving closer to the person. Shipwreck realized it was Lady Hawk, and she was crying.

"How'd you sneak out?" he asked quietly as he drew even with her. "Doc and Lifeline keep trying new ways to prevent breakouts."

"I didn't sneak, I just got up, got dressed and walked," Lady Hawk angrily wiped her hands across her face, drawing a deep breath, trying to cap the tears.

"At least you brought a blanket. You don't need a chill in that shoulder," he didn't allude to the tears. There was nothing wrong with the fact she was crying, not in his mind.

"Leave me alone, Shipwreck," she hadn't looked at him at all, her head down.

"We all wanted to stop by during the day. Doc said _you_ gave orders for no visitors," Shipwreck didn't move. "Firecracker got herself bitched out by Doc, because she and Bazooka tried sneaking in. Polly's been asking for you all day. Look at her! She thinks she did something wrong."

"Polly likes me because I feed her," but Lady Hawk let the parrot climb up onto her lap, and even stroked the parrot's head feathers gently.

"She likes you because you feed her. She adores you, because you spoil her whenever you get the chance," Shipwreck snorted lightly."I get the fact you're hurting, Lady Hawk…"

"Don't call me that!" she snapped. "Lady Hawk, what a joke!"

"We all think it fits," he told her. "You are a lot like Hawk…"

"How often does Hawk get his people killed?"

"You didn't."

"You weren't there!"

"Nope, I wasn't. Firecracker was. Angel, Spanner, GPS…they were all right there in that compound with you," he said calmly. "Ace, Duke, Wild Bill… they all heard you giving your orders. Every one of them said you made all the right calls. You can't be responsible for one bad apple, Lady Hawk…"

"My team, my responsibility. And do not call me Lady Hawk!"

Instead of answering, Shipwreck stepped up onto the bench, swung one leg around behind her, and sat on the table.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, sailor?" she almost squeaked when she felt him pull her back against him, being very careful of her injured shoulder.

"You haven't finished crying this out yet," he replied. "I will sit right here with you while do."

"Crying solves nothing. It doesn't keep things from happening again…"

"Crying will let you clear enough crap to think straight," he countered. "When you can think straight, you can figure out how to keep things like what went down in that compound from happening again. One tip right off the bat, and I believe General Colton and Hawk will agree with me: OMEGA members go through a similar process to the Joes. That means interviews and reviews, and the CO gets final say. We all know Moore was only on the team because of Nesbitt…"

"And how much you want to bet, she faces a court marshal, and he will no longer want to even know her name?" Lady Hawk snorted.

"I doubt you could get Ace to bet on that!" Shipwreck shook his head. "Let it go, Kath. There's only you, me, and Polly out here, and Polly and I aren't about to tell on you."

Shipwreck wasn't too surprised when Snake Eyes suddenly appeared before him. Lady Hawk had cried herself out, and fallen asleep in his arms, Polly curled up under her chin.

"Finally raised an alarm, did they?" the sailor asked quietly. "I'll take her back in, Snakes. Just give me a hand so I don't jar her shoulder and wake her, will ya?"


	9. Chapter 9

38

9.

Funerals, Lady Hawk decided, were pure hell. Especially military funerals, with Honor details and salutes, and having to present a folded flag to the family left behind. Hawk had been right about that. She'd insisted on presenting the flags herself. Her team, her call, her duty. He and Colton had been right behind her, slightly flanking her, as she did so.

"She needs a break, General," Psych Out reported to Colton. "A chance to regroup without everyone hanging over her shoulder at every turn."

"Has she opened up with you at all?" Colton asked.

"Not really, sir. She still feels the ultimate responsibility for what happened lies with her, even though she is fully aware it was Lt Moore's actions that caused two deaths and a medical discharge," Psych Out replied. "I know she needs to attend the court marshal proceedings, but directly after that, I suggest an extended leave. She winds herself up any tighter with the self-doubt and guilt trip, she _will_ shatter."

"You suggest I just cut her loose, Psych?"

"Not totally, sir. She'll still need to see a councilor, preferably a military one, and according to Doc, she will still need a few follow-up medical exams for the shoulder," Psych said. "We both recommend a medical leave of absence."

"Very well, Psych. Thank you. Dismissed."

Unlike the funerals, where as many Joes as could safely be away from the Pit or assignments had attended, the court martial of Jillian Moore was restricted to those who had to be there to testify. The remaining members of OMEGA, including Maria de Carlos, were there. Duke and Ace were there, and Colton, as the CO of OMEGA. Jillian was assigned an Air Force JAG team.

"I won't lie to you, General Colton. The defense team is going to try basing it on the fact that Sgt Abernathy does not hold rank on Lt Moore," Lt Walter Hammond from the JAG Prosecutor's office warned Colton and Lady Hawk.

"Special Ops units, which OMEGA is, have always had their own chain of command styles, Lt. Hammond," Colton pointed out. "OMEGA is Sgt Abernathy's team. In the field, she calls the shots. It is as simple as that, and Lt. Moore has known it from day one… which was nearly two years ago. The only person who could have countermanded the sergeant's orders on that mission would have been me, and I wasn't in the field."

"Are you sure Lt. Moore was clear on that, sir?"

"Very sure. She came damned close to getting the boot before her second day in training when the team was formed," Colton said. "For basically the same reason, only the orders she chose to disregard that day didn't come from Sgt. Abernathy. I am the one who drew up the training itinerary for the team, with input from the field commanders of my other, larger team. Both of my teams, Lieutenant, are Joint Forces specs, even if OMEGA is currently staffed with all Army personnel."

"And why is that again?"

"Because I was presented with a proposal for a needed team that included several dossiers for consideration as team members," Colton shrugged. "The proposal came from two GIs, who didn't, at the time, have any way to access such information from other branches of the military."

"And the Air Force lieutenant?"

"Got her chance because of a benefactor who made her appointment to the team his price for agreeing to let the team be formed in the first place," Colton admitted. "A major mistake on my part, for which three of my soldiers paid too high a price."

"Lt. Hammond, there is an urgent call for General Colton on line four, sir," Hammond's secretary announced over the intercom.

"Do you want privacy, General?" Hammond pushed the phone in Colton's direction.

"I doubt it's necessary," Colton shook his head, lifting the receiver and punching a button. "Colton… Really? That is interesting…I'll be waiting for her, thanks Flint." He hung up again. Lady Hawk looked at him quizzically. "Lady Jaye and Scarlett wrapped up that little project. Scarlett's bringing me the results."

"Is it something that might affect this case, sir?"

"This case, I don't think so," Colton told him. "OMEGA's assignment, as I am sure you are aware, was to rescue Theodore Westing and his family from One World Order. They did so, and captured the leader of OWO, Ethan Greynor, in the process. It was noted that Greynor very strongly resembled someone else who'd recently made the acquaintance of both OMEGA and several of my Joe staff…Roger Moorland, a new aide to Senator Nesbitt. I had my Intel people do what they do best. It seems Greynor's real name is Greggor Ethan Moorland…listed as being KIA in Nam in 67."

"They're related?" Lady Hawk demanded.

"Very related. They are brothers," Colton nodded. "Duke told me the same thing you did. Someone knew you would be visiting that compound, if not quite when. Looks like Lady Jaye and Scarlett found that 'someone'."

"I doubt Nesbitt had any idea," Lady Hawk said. "He's not our biggest fan, but I seriously doubt he'd have sold out Moore."

"And why is that?" Hammond asked.

"The same reason he fast tracked her for a special assignment that would look real good on her resume, sir. They sleep together."

"Senator Nesbitt is a married man."

"What has that got to do with it, Lt.? And no, we can't actually prove it. But whenever he was in the area, she wanted at least a two day pass."

"Not pertinent to this case, though."

"No, it isn't, and I don't think the Air Force cares who their pilots are sleeping with outside of the military in general, as long as it isn't a known enemy to the USA," Lady Hawk shrugged. Then she winced.

"Shoulder hurting, Lady Hawk?" Colton asked.

"A bit, sir. Don't suggest the pain killers Doc gave me. I can't take those and stay awake," she said. "We get through this, keep Moore from endangering anyone else, and I can stop worrying about it for a while."

"Why is that?" Hammond asked.

"Medical leave, sir. Doc's still not sure how my shoulder blade didn't splinter with the round I caught."

The trial started the next morning. As Hammond had warned, the Defense went for the rank angle, which was easily refuted by the Prosecution based on OMEGA's Joint Forces status, and Lady Hawk's position as Team Leader. Lady Hawk, Blackbird, Duke and Ace were called to testify. None of them varied on their stories, even with the Defense in rapid-fire mode during cross examination.

"Sgt. Abernathy, isn't it true that you and Lt. Moore have been in contention for the leadership of OMEGA from the very beginning?" the Defense attorney, a Second Lt. Richmond, demanded.

"No," Lady Hawk shook her head. "I was OMEGA before Senator Nesbitt shoved Moore down General Colton's throat, Lt. Richmond."

"How could you have been OMEGA before the team was even formed?"

"Objection," Hammond's superior, Major Randolph, stood. "That has nothing to do with the matter at hand, gentlemen."

"Objection sustained," the judge agreed. "Keep to the focus, Lt. Richmond."

"Yes, sir. I was trying to establish something with this line of questioning…"

"The only thing in question is did Lt. Moore disregard orders from her team leader, resulting in the deaths of two team mates, and the blinding of a third," Randolph pointed out.

"If there was no clear chain of command…"

"But there was. This team wasn't fresh off Basic, Lt. Richmond. "And the squad records show Sgt Abernathy as the Squad Leader from the very start."

"I honestly didn't expect to be the team leader. It was enough for me to be on the team," Lady Hawk commented. "I was chosen team leader by people whose judgment I trust."

"Including your own cousin, Colonel Clayton Abernathy," Richmond accused.

"No sir. In fact, the Colonel knew nothing about it until about three months after the deal was done," she remembered the day Hawk had found out, and brought the roses and her Berretta into the mess hall at the Pit.

"So, you were in charge in the field that day?"

"Yes sir." Talk about stating the obvious! Richmond was giving her a headache, and she really didn't need it, since her shoulder was already causing her enough pain.

"Your first time out. Young, untried," Richmond smirked a little. "And now, you are trying to put the blame for what went wrong somewhere else…"

"OBJECTION!" Randolph came to his feet this time. Firecracker had yelled something very uncomplimentary at Richmond, and several others were commenting angrily. The judge slammed his gavel down for order.

"There will be no further such outbreaks in this courtroom!" he ordered sternly. He glared straight at Firecracker briefly, before turning the same glare at Richmond. "Objection sustained. Watch your step, Lieutenant."

"Yes sir," Richmond nodded curtly.

"The buck stops with me, Lt," Lady Hawk said, her voice like ice. "If my orders were wrong, and shit happened, then I'd be the one facing this court as a defendant. My orders were the right ones to make. We needed cover fire. Because we didn't get it from Lt. Moore, two damn good soldiers are dead, and another sits in this room, unable to see what is happening, having to rely on her hearing alone…"

"Isn't it possible all that would have happened, even had Lt. Moore provided more fire?"

"Anything is possible, Lieutenant. But probable? No, it is not."

"Sgt. Abernathy, isn't it true you were also wounded in this action?"

"I caught a bullet in my shoulder, yes," she nodded.

"But you haven't mentioned it so far. Why?"

"It was a bullet in the shoulder. It's healing, sir," she looked at him, a little confused. "Compared to what happened to my team, it isn't important."

"Do you like getting shot at?"

"Are you on drugs? No, I don't like getting shot at. It happens, because I made a choice, and took an oath," Lady Hawk knew, suddenly, what angle he was trying for now. "Had the cover fire I ordered been there, it would have been that much harder for Greynor's mercenaries to open fire at those of us on the ground. That, sir, in case you hadn't realized it, is what cover fire is for."

"No further questions," Richmond turned on his heel.

"You may step down, Sgt.," the judge instructed. Lady Hawk moved cautiously, since her head was spinning. "Major?"

"Prosecution rests, Your Honor."

"Lieutenant?"

"The Defense rests, Your Honor."


	10. Chapter 10

42

10.

Within a week, it was over. Jillian Moore had been permanently grounded, stripped of rank, and received a dishonorable discharge. No jail time, since the court could not reach a unanimous decision that her actions had directly caused the deaths of her two teammates.

"How soon do we go home to Tirnagog, Lady Hawk?" Firecracker demanded. It was almost two months after the mission, and OMEGA was still being billeted at the Pit. Partially, because Lady Hawk hadn't been cleared to fly her tomahawk yet, because of her shoulder. The women didn't mind spending time around the Joes, although Angel complained good-naturedly about PT with Beach Head early every morning. Lady Hawk was excused from it, again, because of her shoulder. She was forced to do the PT Doc ordered, in the gym, and usually under Lifeline or Angel's watch.

"That is up to the General," Lady Hawk didn't look at her. She'd been avoiding eye contact with just about everyone lately, and more than a few had voiced their concerns to Doc, Psych, Hawk or Colton himself.

"Attention: Lady Hawk, report to the infirmary," Doc's voice announced over the speakers.

Doc and Psych Out were both waiting for her when she got there.

"How's the shoulder?" Doc asked.

"Sore," she admitted. "It's getting better, but it'll take work to get back the range of movement."

"Yes, it will," Doc nodded. "You haven't been sleeping."

"Not really, sir."

"I could give you something…"

"No. Thanks for the thought, Doc, but I don't want to do that. You know my intolerance for most drugs," she shook her head firmly.

"She can't endanger any more teammates, Lady Hawk," Psych Out stated. He saw her flinch at her code name. "You're still convinced you let them down."

"I did let them down, Psych. I could have left Moore behind when we went on that mission. Princess is cleared for the sky strikers…"she sighed. "I kept hoping Moore would get the clue. I should have known better. It was my job to know."

"You'll be on light duty for at least another month," Doc frowned slightly. She'd been all business at the trial, and the funerals. Now she was retreating into herself again, and he knew it as well as Psych Out did. "Around here, that would keep you tied to a desk. We all know how much you just adore that." He handed her a large envelope. "Effective immediately, you are on medical leave. There are conditions."

"And those conditions are, sir?"

"You still have to see a medical doctor every two weeks, _and_ a counselor, also every two weeks," he informed her. "Your first appointments have been arranged, and are listed in there. You'll be close enough to the VA in Denver, there shouldn't be a problem keeping the appointments."

"Don't think about skipping out on those appointments, Sergeant," Psycho Out warned. "We will be checking."

"Once you've made your travel arrangements, we'll have a copter take you in to the civilian airport," Doc said.

"Thank you, gentlemen," she saluted, turned on her heel, and left.

"Do you think it will work, Psych?"

"I hope so."

The first thing Lady Hawk did was make her travel arrangements. In her mind, the sooner she was gone, the better. OMEGA would find out just how easy she was to replace. She also got permission to make a day trip to Tirnagog. Most of her gear was there. She'd need to pack.

"So, rest and relaxation home for a few weeks," Shipwreck walked up behind her in the mess hall at lunch time. "I hear you're leaving in the morning."

"I see the military grapevine is intact and as busy as ever," she snorted. "Actually, tomorrow, I am just going to Tirnagog to get my gear. I fly out for home the day after."

"You have a lot of friends here, Lady Hawk. Friends who are worried about you," he stated, his look serious. He could be, on occasion. "Don't be gone too long."

Not until the morning she was leaving for Colorado, did she go anywhere near the office shared by the General and Hawk. In her hand was a plain white envelope, which she left on Colton's desk.

It was a request for a permanent transfer out of OMEGA. With luck, he wouldn't find it until after she'd gone. He probably wouldn't, since she knew both men planned to see her off when Freestyle took her to the airport.

It seemed a lot of people wanted to see her off. Besides Colton and Hawk, the remaining members of OMEGA were there, along with Lady Jaye, Scarlett, Cover Girl, Duke, Flint, Beach Head, Shipwreck, Psych, Rock-n-Roll, Law and Order, Bazooka, Alpine, Gung Ho, Roadblock Mutt and Junkyard, and Heavy Duty. Polly saw her coming, and made a bee-line to her shoulder.

"Miss you!" the parrot squawked. "Come home soon!"

Lady Hawk just kissed the bird's head lightly, and sent her back to Shipwreck. She saluted Colton, hugged Hawk, and got on the helicopter with a green shirt pilot. She'd requested that. She didn't look at any of the others as the helicopter lifted off. She said nothing.

"She doesn't plan to come back, does she?" Flint asked quietly.

"She'll go where she's ordered to. She's a soldier, and a damn good one," Colton stated. He was a little startled to realize Snake Eyes was standing next to him. The silent, black clad ninja held out the envelope he'd seen Lady Hawk leave on the desk. "If that's what I think it is, I don't want to see it. Not now, and probably not ever. File it someplace for me, would you, Snake Eyes?" He turned and walked away. Snake Eyes ripped the envelope into pieces. Lady Hawk was on leave; she'd be back.


End file.
